Dharmendra’s Special Connection With Rajasthan: His Journey From Films To Politics

Bollywood legend Dharmendra, 89, passed away; he had a brief but memorable political stint as Bikaner MP, reflecting his unique bond with Rajasthan.

Dharmendra’s Bond with Rajasthan: Bollywood Icon and Former Bikaner MP

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Bollywood icon Dharmendra passed away at the age of 89 on Monday, 24 November, at his home in Mumbai. The veteran actor had been unwell for some time and was recently discharged from the hospital, where he had been receiving treatment.

Known as Bollywood’s “He-Man,” Dharmendra made a mark not only with his stellar film career but also tried his hand at politics—though his political journey was far shorter and less successful than his cinematic one.

Dharmendra’s Foray into Politics

Inspired by the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) “Swing India” campaign in 2004, Dharmendra entered politics. During this time, he met senior BJP leaders, including Lal Krishna Advani, along with actor Shatrughan Sinha. This meeting became the first step in his political career.

The BJP nominated him for the Bikaner Lok Sabha seat in Rajasthan. Dharmendra won the election, defeating Congress candidate Rameshwar Lal Dudi by nearly 60,000 votes, and became a Member of Parliament.

A Short but Noteworthy Political Career

Politics, however, did not appeal to Dharmendra. Quoting a famous line from his blockbuster film Sholay, he once remarked that if the government ignored him, he would “jump off the Parliament roof.” Despite his victory, his term was marked by low attendance in Parliament and limited engagement with his constituency.

During his five-year term, Dharmendra was often criticised for spending more time on film shoots or at his farmhouse than attending to Bikaner’s public issues. Yet, his supporters maintained that he worked behind the scenes for his constituency.

Why Dharmendra Left Politics

After completing his term in 2009, Dharmendra did not contest again. His son, Sunny Deol, later revealed that Dharmendra never enjoyed politics and regretted the experience. Dharmendra himself once admitted, “I did the work, but someone else took the credit. Perhaps politics wasn’t for me.”

While his son Sunny Deol and wife Hema Malini later joined politics—Sunny winning once from Gurdaspur and Hema Malini three times from Mathura—Dharmendra always kept a distance from political life.